‘Horror rat invasion’ as tenants can’t sleep because of rodents ‘scratching inside walls’

Several tenants at the east London apartment block said they were ‘unable to sleep’ and were ‘terrified’ after the invasion of rodents started causing chaos at their homes

A plague of rats has fallen on an apartment block in Hackney, London, leaving people “terrified” and children screaming in fear. Grim footage of the infestation at Crystal Court flats in east London showed more than a dozen rats living in the bin store.

Notting Hill Genesis, the building’s management, said the situation was under control while they issued an apology to those affected. Residents claimed the rat invasion had been ongoing for nearly a year, with multiple complaints issued to the building’s management. Speaking to the BBC, tenant Marlon, who witnessed the infestation, said: “I saw 10 to 15 rats scurrying up the walls, running into a hole in the bin store ceiling. I was shocked. I threw my rubbish into the bin and got out.”

Another resident described the experience as “terrifying” and said it had been a constant stress for several months. The outlet also reported she had been unable to sleep at night because of the sound of rats scratching in her walls.

Mafalda Pedro, another resident, said: “You can hear them scratching away. We’ve complained quite a few times already. It’s not a good environment, especially because we have a child. We’re scared to go downstairs to be honest.”

Another resident said: “I have a young daughter and I feel scared. At night, from inside our flat you can hear the rats scratching.”

Notting Hill Genesis said: “Household waste left in communal areas has now been cleared and we have carried out extensive pest control and prevention work.

“Work to clean and remove waste from the bin store has been completed and cleaning will continue to keep the space sanitary.

“We continue to work with residents and have advised them to take additional care when disposing of waste to prevent these issues from reoccurring.”

Last month, the Daily Star revealed how the recent discovery of an enormous rat could signal trouble ahead if action isn’t taken to tackle the exploding rodent numbers.

A potentially record-smashing UK rat – allegedly stretching an incredible 22 inches from snout to tail – was discovered in a Normanby home by a pest control expert who had been called in to investigate.

The dead creature, whose photograph went viral on social media, had built its home inside the property.

It was likened to a “sewer rat”, and whilst it remains a mystery how it got into the building, there have been sightings of rats in the area.

Now a specialist has delivered a rather alarming alert about these creatures… and their remarkable determination to stay alive.

A spokesperson for the British Pest Control Association warned: “Rats are hard-wired to survive. They are adaptable, highly mobile and breed rapidly. As a result, rat control can be an uphill task for the untrained individual.”